There is one process that I'm not clear on and that is making the grooves in the blank. I can think of a couple different ways but not sure my fingers would survive. Would you be willing to post a photo or 2 of your setup for this.
Dale
These are slots made with a trim router and a slitting blade. This is a previous thread that has some discussion and pictures.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f179/billet-rings-145603/
Basically, I have a 1950's vintage Atlas Clausing Metal Lathe, motor was tore out ages ago. BUT, it has a 360 degree indexing plate welded to the headstock, and a mounting for a trim router that I have readapted for my purposes. The only purpose in life for this hunk of metal is to hold material between centers, cut slots in as many combinations as I can imagine.
I have been using different slitting blades from:
Wisconsin Knife Works.
Basically, I can cut slots in 1" Hard Maple dowels (or any base material), any dimension wide (.06", .0625", .070" , etc...) to whatever depth I want, in any combination of numbers per dowel (I have done 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12). The higher I go, the less material I have at depth (sometimes none).
The machine is named "Frankie" and it has earned it's keep!
Ask any questions! (Oh,
If you want some slotted blanks to play with via "my technique" - send me a PM - and anyone else who may read this. Some folks cuts staves (pie shaped long segments), I cut straight bottom slots. No worries for my fingers - this is why I have no problem making "starting blanks" for others).